ARNOLD PALMER 18-Loch Golfplatz

Bad Saarow sits on the western shore of the Scharmützelsee, a glacially carved lake in the Märkische Schweiz region southeast of Berlin — a landscape of pine forests, moraines, and water that has drawn Berliners seeking fresh air since the late 19th century. The area became a fashionable spa resort in the early 20th century, and that tradition of quiet escape persists today.

The course here carries Arnold Palmer's name with genuine weight. Palmer's design group created this layout in the 1990s as part of the broader Saarow resort development, and it earned real recognition — Golf & Country magazine ranked it among Germany's top courses, and it hosted European Tour events, including the Deutsche Bank - SAP Open TPC of Europe in the early 2000s. That tournament pedigree speaks to how seriously the course was built and maintained.

Playing through the Scharmützelsee's wooded shoreline, the design makes deliberate use of the lake and surrounding wetlands, rewarding controlled ball-striking over power. The pine-framed corridors and reflective water carry a certain northern European calm — demanding without being punishing, scenic without feeling theatrical.